the divine being are purity, knowledge, love.

--I have just been listening to another antinomian sermon. The preacher
contended that we are justified and saved solely on account of what
Christ has done and suffered for us, and that the only thing we have to
do, is to believe this, or trust in the merits of Christ, and be at rest
as to our eternal destiny. But if we are saved _solely_ on account of
what Christ has done and suffered, why talk as if our _believing_ this,
or _trusting in Christ's_ merits, was necessary to salvation? Why not go
a step further and say, that neither believing nor trusting has anything
to do with our salvation? But the whole theory is as anti-scriptural and
false as it is foolish and mischievous. The preacher said, "We are not
under the law,--Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law." Very
true; but we are under the Gospel; and the Gospel requires a more
perfect life than the law required. The law of Christ is much stricter
than the law of Moses. He said, "By the works of the law no flesh living
can be justified." But we may still be justified by the works of the
Gospel. "Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven." "By thy words shalt thou be
justified, and by thy words shalt thou be condemned." "With what measure
ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." "Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy." "Because thou hast been faithful over a
few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into
the joy of thy Lord." "Repent and be converted, that your sins may be
blotted out." "We have confidence in the day of judgment, because as He
was so are we in this world."

He said circumcision availeth nothing; and it is true that "the
circumcision which is outward in the flesh" avails nothing under the
Christian dispensation: but that which is inward, namely, the putting
away of all filthiness, and living a holy life, availeth much.

Then followed a lot of unscriptural and unwise talk about our own
righteousness and Christ's righteousness. But the truth is, when we love
God and keep His commandments,--when we love Christ and do as He bids
us, and believe, in consequence, that we are approved of God, and in a
fair way for heaven, we trust in _God's_ righteousness, or _Christ's_
righteousness, and not in a righteousness of our own. The righteousness
of God means the righteousness which God _requires_; the righteousness
of _Christ_ means obedience to His precepts, and conformi